Garage door operator



June 4, 1940- 0-. D. BOARDMAN 2,202,943 I GARAGE DOOR OPERATOR 7 Filed Sept. 23, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Inventor OJe SQZ Boardnzv June 4, 1940. Q BQARDMAN 2,202,943

GARAGE DOOR OPERATOR Filed Sept. 25, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIH IHII IIIIH II lliillHlHlHl ,p4 Inventor Odessa Bdaflmn A ttorneys June 4, 1940. o. D. BOARDMAN GARAGE DOOR OPERATOR Filed Sept. 23, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 III] IIIIIIIIA A itomeys Patented June 4, 1940 UNITED STATES iATENT OFFWE Application September 23,

10 Claims.

My invention relates generally to vehicle ope-rated doors and particularly an arrangement of this type in which the door per se collapses vertically to open and closed positions, and an impor- .5 tant object of my invention is to provide a rela- Lively simple, practical, and rugged device of this ind.

Another important object of my invention is to provide, in an arrangement of the character indicated above, means for positively producing smooth, unhurried, and shock protected door opening and closing means, positively providing 7 for smooth action protecting the mechanism against undue wear and tear.

Other important objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a general front elevational view showing a garage equipped with a door in accordance with the present invention.

. Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure 1 showing the entrance and exit pavement outside of the garage, and showing the roof of the garage partly to show a portion of one of the 39 Figure 3 is a contracted transverse vertical sectional view taken through Figure 2 approximately on the line 3-3 and looking upwardly in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through Figure 2 approximately on the line 4-4 and showing one set of the operating elements at rest and in inoperative positions and with the door closed.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig- 4 ure 4 but showing the chock within the garage in the depressed operated position in full lines and in the elevated initial position in dotted lines.

Figure 6 is an elevational view of one of the door posts showing the guides for the door sections and the middle slot in the door post for receiving the guide on the end of the door assembly.

Figure '7 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through Figure 1 approximately on the line 1-1 and looking toward the left in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken through Figure '7 approximately on the line 8--8 and looking downwardly in the direction of the MIOWS. v

1938, Serial No. 231,422

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view taken through Figure 1 approximately on the line 9--9 and looking downwardly in the direction of the arrows. i

Figure 10 is a transverse vertical sectional view .5 taken through Figure 9 and showing the door sections in expanded positions.

Figure 11 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through Figure 12 and showing the door sections in the fully collapsed closed position.

Figure 12 is a front elevational view of a left hand portion of the door assembly.

Figure 13 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through one of the shock absorber cylinders, taken approximately on the line l3-i3 of 5 Figure '7.

Figure 14 is a front elevational view of a left hand portion of the door assembly showing the guide thereof extending through the slot in the adjacent door post.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 generally designates a garage or other building whose entrance is bounded at the sides by the respective door posts 6 and l in which the door assembly generally designated 8 works. In front of the entrance is the entrance and exit pavement which is generally designated 9 and within the garage is the floor It. Suitably accommodated in twin depressions in the exit and entrance pavement 9 are the treadles H and H which are hinged as indicated by the numerals l3 and M at their approach ends and have depending pivotally from the normally elevated inner ends thereof the, links i5 which are connected to brackets thereon as indicated by the numeral l6 and have their lower ends pivotally connected tothe rigid arm I! w ch projects from the rock shaft It as indicated in Figures 4 p and 8. This arrangement is such that when the vehicle runs along the treadles H and ii in approaching the garage door, the normally elevated ends of the treadles will be depressed so as to swing the shaft [8 in a counterclockwise direction viewed in Figure 4. I

Within the garage 5 are the treadles 2i! and 2! which are pivoted as indicated by the numerals 22 and 23 at their ends to brackets 24 which depend from the garage floor portion 25, the normally elevated ends of the treadles and 2! adjacent the entrance of the garage having depending therefrom the link 25' similar to the links l5 pivotally connected as indicated by the numeral 21 to a bracket on the bottom ofthe treadle, the lower end of this link being'pivotally connected as indicated by the numeral 28 to the r55 arm 29 which projects rigidly from the rock shaft l8 which is companion to the rock shaft !8 already described. The treadles 28 and 2| have formed therein a slot 29 in which works a chock 30 which is pivoted as indicated by the numeral 3| at one end. to one end of the slot 29, said chock normally being in an elevated position as illustrated in Figure 4 by reason of connection of the arm 32 thereof pivotally as indicated by the numeral 33, to the upper end of a link 34 which is pivotally anchored to an anchor 35 below the floor of the garage. A swingable ramp 36 pivoted as indicated by numeral 3'! to the edge of the floor portion 25 adjacent to the chock, gravitationally adjusts itself to the positions of the treadles 29, 2| and the floor portion 25 for smooth entrance and exit of the automobile or the like relative to the garage. The chocks 38 are provided to prevent precipitate movement of the automobile in the garage toward the door in effecting an exit from the garage, by acting to impede the progress of the automobile toward the door and at the same time start the gradual depression of the treadles 29, 2 I so as to effect smooth operation of the treadles due to the passage of the automobile toward the garage door. Without such arrangement, there is constant danger that the automobile, in making its exit movement would not only unduly quickly start the depressing movement of the treadles 26, 2|, but would be apt to ram into the garage door before the door had been fully opened by responsive action of the door opening mechanism.

The mentioned shafts l8 and I8 are supported in respective bearings 48, 4| at the opposite ends of the pit below the level of the garage floor, and at the opposite end of these shafts are pairs of inwardly tending rigidly connected arms 44, and 46, 4'! which extend through accommodating openings in the vertically elongated generally rectangular enclosures 48 which are disposed outside of the door posts 6 and 7, respectively, and slightly spaced therefrom as clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. Pivotally connected to the free ends of the mentioned arms are the pairs of companion legs 49, 50 and 5|, 52, the respective pairs having their upper ends converging and connected to the same pivots 53, 54 secured to the respective inner and outer sides of the weight member which is generally designated 55 and which are, in their initial positions of rest, suificiently heavy to positively prevent operation of the garage door from the outside from a closed to an open position by any normal agency other than vehicle operation of the outside treadles l2. However, when, for instance, the treadle II is depressed by the passage of an automobile thereon, and the normally elevated end thereof is depressed, the rock shaft I8 is swung in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figure 4, and because of the mechanical connection of the shaft I8 with the shaft IS, the shaft I8 is rotated in the opposite direction in the same amount, so that the fixed arms 44, 45, and 46, 4! swing in an upward direction and in so doing carry the weight members 55 upwardly away from their initial positions of rest.

When this elevation of the weight members takes place, the counterbalance weights 55, 5'! having cables 58, 59 trained over drums 66, 6| secured to shafts 62 journaled in the laterally inward wall 63 of the enclosure 48 and the laterally outward wall 64 of the enclosures including a pulley 65 over which is trained an endless belt 66 which is also trained over a pulley 61, and

a shaft 68 similarly journaled between the oilposing walls of the enclosure 48; the shaft 68 having thereon a drum 68 over which is trained a cable 69 which is turned around the drum 68 and fastened at its free end as indicated by the numeral 70 to the back wall of the enclosure 48 after passing over a pulley 1| fastened to the top of the weight member by a bracket 72; so that as the weight members are lifted the counterbalance weights 56 and 51 are freed to pull down on their cables 58 and 56 and thereby rotate the shafts 62 and 68, which action, through the connection of the cable 69 with the weight members helps to elevate the weight members smoothly, especially in starting and in reaching their upper limits, at which position of the weight members the door is in a fully opened position.

For absorbing the shock incident to the weight members reaching their upward limits, there are provided air or liquid containing shock absorber cylinders 15 and 76 which are similar in construction and are individually supported by brackets 11 and 18 extending between the wall members 63 and 64 of the enclosure 48, the cylinders depending from these brackets being substantially open at their lower ends and provided with a retainer I9 which retains a floating piston which is generally designated 80 and which comprises a valve cage 8| with a reduced opening 82 leading into the ball valve seat 83 in which is a free ball 84. The top of the shock absorber cylinder is provided with a fitting 85 in the form of a valve to control the escape of compressed fluid above the piston as the piston is forced upwardly by reason of engagement thereof by the standard 86 which projects from the top of each of the weight members 55, for the purpose.

To absorb the shock of the weight members reaching the low point, in the act of returning to their initial positions, standards 87 and 88, suitably anchored on the bottom of the pit 43 each connect with a hydraulic piston 89, 90 which operates in a conformably shaped opening in the bottom of the weight member as indicated by the numeral 9| in Figure 3. Regulating the escape of fluid from the opening 9| above the pistons 89 and 96 is the valve equipped passage 92 which opens through the side of the weight member, the valve therein being adjustable to produce the desired seating of the weight memv bers in returning to their initial positions.

In the spaces between the door posts 6 and 1 and the adjoining walls 63 of the enclosures 48 and at the lower ends of the door posts are the pulleys 93 and endless cables 95 and 96, respectively, which are also trained over the pulleys 91 and 98 which are fixed to the laterally inward ends of the shafts ends of the door posts. Portions of the door 8 at the opposite edges thereof are operatively connected with the cables 95 and 96 so that when the shafts 62 are rotated in the required direction, the door will be either opened from a closed position, or closed from an open position.

Each of the door posts 6 and 1 is provided centrally with the vertically elongated slot I00, at both sides of which are vertical channel guides l0| and I02, respectively, which are of different vertical lengths corresponding to the vertical lengths of the sections which compose the collapsible door, and the opposite ends of the door sections are slidably disposed in these guides which have closed bottoms located at the point of elevation above the garage floor at whichihe 94 over which are trained the particular door sections come to rest in extending the door to fully closed position, the guides thereby acting not only as runners for the door sections but also as stops.

, The door is composed of a central section I03 which has screwed as indicated by numeral I04 to the bottom edge thereof the retainer I which is the full length and width of the door so that when the section I03 is elevated the member I05 will engage the bottoms of the other sections I00 and I07, positioned respectively in the guides IN and I02, so as to elevate the sections in the opening action of the door until the edges of the member I05, extending beyond the front and back sections, engage the lower edges of the stops I08 and I09 which are suspended in the upper part of the entrance of the garage.

As indicated in Figures 9 and the door sections I08 and I08 and the centralized section I03 do not have their end edges inserted in the channel guides IN and I02 respectively, but opposed plates H0 and III receive double edged portions of the ends of the sections and then come together as indicated by the numeral II2 to form an element smaller in thickness than the section and to enter the guides as clearly shown in Figure 9. The portions N2 of adja-' cent sections have straps II3 connected therebetween on one side of the door and H4 at the opposite side of the door as clearly indicated in Figure 10, the straps being securely anchored as indicated by the numerals H5 and H6, respectively, at their lower ends and similarly at their upper ends as indicated by the numerals H1 and H8, the connection being made to the laterally outward sections and the laterally inward sections with respect to any pair of sections by means of slide brackets H9 and I20, respectively, which slide along the straps H3 and I I4, thereby securely but slidably assembling the sections to form the door assembly.

The plates H0 and III of the central section I03 extend further beyond the edges of the section I03 and merge into a headed shank I2I which passes through the slot I00 and through a clamp I22 which clamps to one flight of a corresponding one of the endless cables 95 and 96, by reason of which connection the operation of the cables raises and lowers the door 8 and in so doing contracts or expands various sections I08 and I09 and I03. As indicated in Figure 3 of the drawings a floor element I23 is provided between the adjacent ends of the outside and inside treadles to bridge the distance therebetween and provide smooth passage of the automobile between the inside and outside treadles.

As an automobile approaching the garage and operating the outside treadles II and I2, respectively, accomplishes substantially full depression of the said treadles, the action of the linkage connected to the shafts I8 and I8 will have elevated or collapsed the door 8. As soon as the automobile passes into the garage and the rear wheels thereof leave the inside treadles and 2| and come upon the floor I0 and the portion thereof, the front wheels of the vehicle passing over the chocks while the treadles 20 and 2| are still partially depressed and the chocks depressed, the treadles 20 and 21 will rise behind the vehicle as will the chocks 30, and by this action condition the operation of the weight elements and the counterbalances to return the door to open extended position. To take the car out of the garage, the same is run in the opposite direction so as to engage and gradually depress the chocks 30 and consequently the treadles 20, 2I, thereby effecting collapsing or opening movement of the door, and the vehicle is then guided out of the garage and onto the treadles II and I2. As the vehicle leaves the pivoted and normally depressed end of the treadles.

and I2 and permits the opposite ends thereof to rise, this action of the treadles conditions the weight elements and the counterbalances to restore the door 8 to the expanded or closed position.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire to limit the application of the invention thereto, and any change or changes may be made in the materials and in the structure and arrangement of the parts, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is: I

1. A device of the character described comprising a door having vertically movable elements movable upwardly to open position and downwardly to closed position, guide and stop means at the side of the door for guiding the vertical movement of said elements and limiting their downward travel, first treadles and second treadles, weight means holding the door in closed position, operating connections between the first and second treadles for elevating said weight means, counterweight 'means operatively connected to the door and to said operating connections, said counterweight means being operative by gravity upon elevation of said weight means to operate said movable elements of the door to elevated open position.

2. A device of the character described comprising a door having vertically movable elements movable upwardly to open position and downwardly to closed position, guide and stop means at the side of the door for guiding the vertical movement of said elements and limiting their downward travel, first treadles and second treadles, weight means holding the door in closed position, operating connections between the first and second treadles for elevating said weight means, counterweight means operatively connected to the door and to said operating connections, said counterweight means being operative by gravity upon elevation of said weight means to operate said movable elements of the door to elevated open position, said first and second treadles being longitudinally aligned and located on opposite sides of the door.

3. A device of the character described comprising a door having vertically movable elements movable upwardly to open position and downwardly to closed position, guide and stop means at the side of the door for guiding the vertical movement of said elements and limiting their downward travel, first treadles and second treadles, weight means holding the door in closed position, operating connections between the first and second treadles for elevating said weight means, counterweight means operative-1y connected to the door and to said operating connections, said counterweight means being operative by gravity upon elevation of said weight means to operate said movable elements of the door to elevated open position, said first and second treadles being longitudinally aligned and located on opposite sides of the door, said second treadle being positioned at the rear side of the door, a chock pivoted on said second treadle for engagement by the leading wheel of a vehicle retreating toward the door, said chock having support independent of said second treadle and being operatively connected to said second treadle whereby precipitate retreat of the vehicle and sudden operation of the second treadle is prevented and gradual operation thereof provided for.

4. A device of the character described comprising a door having vertically movable elements movable upwardly to open position and downwardly to closed position, guide and stop means at the side of the door for guiding the vertical movement of said elements and limiting their downward travel, first treadles and second treadles, weight means holding the door in closed position, operating connections between the first and second treadles for elevating said weight means counterweight means operatively connected to the door and to said operating connections, said counterweight means being operative by gravity upon elevation of said weight means to operate said movable elements of the door to elevated open position, first fluid shock absorber means mounted below and engageable by said weight means for easing the subsiding of said weight means from an elevated to the depressed initial position of said weight means.

5. A device of the character described comprising a door having vertically movable elements movable upwardly to open position and downwardly to closed position, guide and stop means at the side of the door for guiding the vertical movement of said elements and limiting their downward travel, first treadles and second treadles, weight means holding the door in closed position, operating connections between the first and second treadles for elevating said weight means, counterweight means operatively connected to the door and to said operating connections, said counterweight means being operative by, gravity upon elevation of said weight means to operate said movable elements of the door to elevated open position, first fluid shock absorber means mounted below and engageable by said weight means for easing the subsiding of said weight means from an elevated to the depressed initial position of said weight means, second fluid shock absorber means mounted above and engageable by a part of said weight means for easing the reaching or top position by said weight means.

6. A device of the character described comprising a door having vertically movable elements movable upwardly to open position and downwardly to closed position, guide and stop means at the side of the door ,for guiding the vertical movement of said elements and limiting their downward travel, first treadles and second treadies, weight means holding the door in closed position, operating connections between the first and second treadles for elevating said weight means, counterweight means operatively connected to the door and to said operating connections, said counterweight means being operative by gravity upon elevation of said weight means to operate said movable elements of the door to elevated open position, said operating connections comprising two parallel rock shafts, first and second arms projecting from said rock shafts, first links connecting said first arms to said treadles, second links connecting said second arms to said weight means.

7. A device of the character described comprising a door having vertically movable elements movable upwardly to open position and downwardly to closed position, guide and stop means at the side of the door for guiding the vertical movement of said elements and limiting their downward travel, first treadles and second treadles, weight means holding the door in closed position, operating connections between the first and second treadles for elevating said weight means, counterweight means operatively connected to the door and to said operating connections, said counterweight means being operative by gravity upon elevation of said weight means to operate said movable elements of the door to elevated open position, pulley, shaft and cable means connecting said counterweight means with said elements of the door.

8. A device of the character described comprising a door having vertically movable elements movable upwardly to open position and downwardly to closed position, guide and stop means at the side of the door guiding the vertical movement of said elements and limiting their downward travel, first treadles and second treadles, weight means holding the door in closed position, operating connections between the first and second treadles for elevating said weight means, counterweight means operatively connected to the door and to said operating connections, said counterweight means being operative by gravity upon elevation of said weight means to operate said movable elements of the door to elevated open position, said operating connections comprising crossed and pivoted lever means.

9. A device of the character described comprising a door having vertically movable elements movable upwardly to open position and downwardly to closed position, guide and stop means at the side of the door guiding the vertical movement of said elements and limiting their downward travel, first treadles and second treadles, weight means holding the door in closed position, operating connections between the first and second treadles for elevating said weight means, counterweight means operatively connected to the door and to said operating connections, said counterweight means being operative by gravity upon elevation of said weight means to operate said movable elements of the door to elevated open position, pulley and cable means operatively connected between said door and said counterweight means.

10. A device of the character described comprising a door having vertically movable elements movable upwardly to open position and downwardly to closed position, guide and stop means at the side of the door guiding the vertical movement of said elements and limiting their downward travel, first treadles and second treadles, weight means holding the door in closed position, operating connections between the first and second treadles for elevating said weight means, counterweight means operatively connected to the door and to said operating connections, said counterweight means being operative by gravity upon elevation of said weight means to operate said movable elements of the door to elevated open position, upper and lower dashpot stop means for cushioning and limiting the upper and lower extremities of movement of said weight means.

ODESSA D. BOARDMAN. 

